Classic Games Database
ClassicGames DB

Wasteland

Review
Also known as
Wasteland 1: The Original Classic Wasteland: Adventure in Post-Nuclear America

This post-apocalyptic RPG uses a pioneering skill system to survive a desolate world and uncover a sinister plot.

Wasteland was originally released for MS-DOS in 1988 by Electronic Arts; this is the earliest commercial release of the game on any platform.


							Wasteland cover
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About Wasteland

Wasteland is set in a post-nuclear future where the player controls a group of Desert Rangers. The party travels between locations, engaging in exploration and combat while discovering a threatening conspiracy.

Character development relies on a combination of traditional attributes and a detailed skill system. Attributes like strength or charisma can affect both combat effectiveness and interactions with the world. A character's intelligence rating directly influences how they learn and improve their skills.

These skills are varied, covering combat proficiencies, physical actions like swimming, and specialized tasks such as providing medical aid or picking locks. They are often necessary to overcome specific obstacles or advance through situations without fighting. Combat itself occurs on separate screens through a turn-based system when enemies are encountered randomly in dangerous areas.

The player manages a custom party, which can be created from scratch or supplemented by recruiting characters found during the journey. Progression involves gathering equipment, information, and items from non-player characters in settlements. The overall structure involves navigating a top-down world, with gameplay that integrates character capabilities into both conflict and problem-solving.

Wasteland Screenshots

10 images
Title Screen (EGA)
Combat: Reducing him into a thin red paste (EGA)
Combat: Exploding like a blood sausage (EGA)
Our fearless rangers find themselves in another fine mess (EGA)
Harry the Bunnymaster (EGA)
Standing next to a satellite dish (EGA)
Calculated events (EGA)
Hiring an NPC (EGA)
Referencing a 'paragraph' enhances the story (EGA)
Hostage standoff with Ugly John (EGA)